Storm: Storm is Brewing

Fires of Pompeii 3

Terry and the Doctor crept their way into the Sibylline temple, taking advantage of the group's preoccupation with their new captive. Terry could hear Donna yelling from the front door, and the redhead's words only got clearer and clearer the deeper they went inside.

"I'll surrender you in a minute." Donna spat. "Don't you dare!"

"You will be silent!" Another voice, one of the soothsayers, ordered, and Terry smiled as Donna snarled: "Listen, sister, you might have eyes on the back of your hands, but you'll have eyes in the back of your head by the time I've finished with you. Let me go!"

The Doctor's lips also quirked up in amusement, and he grinned at Terry as they moved out from the shadows and into the temple. They spotted Donna instantly, tied to a stone table as a live sacrifice, while the soothsayers – all women, dressed in blood-red cloaks and dresses – surrounded her in prayer.

One of the soothsayers, the leader Spurrina, lifted a blade high into the air above Donna's head as she readied to plunge it into Donna's heart as she cried: "This prattling voice will cease forever."

"Oh, that'll be the day." The Doctor called as he leant casually against one of the temple pillars.

The soothsayers all gasped, spinning around to stare at the Doctor and Terry with wide eyes. The Doctor just stood casually with his head on his hand, his elbow propped against the pillar, and Terry grinned and waved as Donna looked over and her face lit up with relief.

"Hey, Donna. Sorry we're late, though apparently we still made it in time for the party." Terry called casually, and Spurrina said scandalously: "No man is allowed to enter the Temple of Sibyl."

"Well, that's all right." The Doctor shrugged as he straightened up and began to walk casually closer to the group. "Just us girls."

The soothsayers eyed him warily as Terry walked up behind him, while the Doctor continued: "Do you know, I met the Sibyl once. Yeah, hell of a woman. Blimey, she could dance the Tarantella. Nice teeth. Truth be told, I think she had a bit of a thing for me."

"Who hasn't, according to you?" Terry teased, and he grinned at her.

"Are you jealous?" He asked, and Terry snorted: "Maybe if you dream hard enough; I already know you told her it would never last, and that she told you she knew that."

He laughed at that, shaking his head as he wrapped an arm around Terry's shoulders and hugged her sideways close to him.

"Well, she would, wouldn't she?" He returned, before addressing the group again as he beamed: "Isn't Terry wonderful? Looks like my angel is better at soothsaying than you lot."

Spurrina's eyes narrowed, while the Doctor finally stopped by Donna's head and he looked down as he asked: "You all right there?"

"Oh, never better." Donna answered lightly, and the Doctor added as he eyed Donna's purple dress: "I like the toga."

"Makes you look like a Roman goddess." Terry added with a cheeky wink, and Donna laughed as she said: "Thank you. And the ropes?"

"Don't like them; I don't think they go with your outfit." Terry commented, and the Doctor agreed: "Yeah, not so much."

He pointed his sonic at the ropes, easily cutting them away and freeing Donna while the soothsayers gaped in shock. Terry helped Donna sit up and get off the table while the Doctor twirled his sonic happily, and Spurrina was finally the first to find her tongue.

"What magic is this?" She demanded, and the Doctor said suddenly as he pocketed his sonic: "Let me tell you about the Sibyl, the founder of this religion. She would be ashamed of you."